Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.22.10
Sthāna· The universe in orderThe Moon Represents the Supreme Lord’s Influence
“Because the moon is full of all potentialities, it represents the influence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The moon is the predominating deity of everyone’s mind, and therefore the moon-god is called Manomaya. He is also called Annamaya because he gives potency to all herbs and plants, and he is called Amṛtamaya because he is the source of life for all living entities. The moon pleases the demigods, pitās, human beings, animals, birds, reptiles, trees, plants and all other living entities. Everyone is satisfied by the presence of the moon. Therefore the moon is also called Sarvamaya [all-pervading].”
What the purport teaches
- Full of all potentialities, the moon represents the influence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As the predominating deity of everyone’s mind, the moon-god is called Manomaya.
- He is called Annamaya because he gives potency to herbs and plants, and Amṛtamaya because he is the source of life for all living entities.
- The moon pleases demigods, pitās, human beings, animals, plants, and all other living entities. Because everyone is satisfied by its presence, it is also called Sarvamaya, or all-pervading.
Try this today
Look at a plant today and remember the moon’s nourishing potency as an expression of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s influence.
Ask yourself
How can the moon’s nourishing presence remind me of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s influence?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.